The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1887-01-13


Union, adorns our capitol, and IL the
properly Of the state by the generous gift
OF Col. n. 8. Goss. This collection con.
tAins e4S species and sub-species-in all,
] ,52S mounted birds. Every known Kan
sas bird Il here, for examination and
study by naturalists. and for the delight
and qualification Of every visitor.
prepared q catalogue Of these birds of
Kansas, and he 10 constantly adding to
this unique collection by visits 70 every
portion of Kansas and to different parts
Of North America.
PUBLIC PRINTING.
The quality Of the work done by the
state printer Is admirable. The public
pare favorably with the best specimens
Of such printing, and their cost
IL, considering the quantity Of workman
me, however, that the aggregate ex-
penle of state printing can be materially
reduced without detriment to the public
service. Many of the reports Of state
departments and bureaus embo6y details
and statistics that are OF no general in
without Withholding from the public any
facts Of value or importance. A striking
illustration Of this subject is afforded
In the admirable report OF the state
treasurer for the biennial period ended
June 30tb, 1855. The reports Of the
treasurer for previous years have EN-
! bodied great mass OF tables and stAtis-
tics which were duplicated in the report
Of the auditor Of state. Thus the treas
| urer's report for the two fiscal years end
ing June 30th, 1884, made . volume Of
AGO pages, while his report for the last
biennial period Is comprised in 103
| psges. Yet the last report, although
condensed into le0s than half the space,
and costing o. $50 less, presents fall
and intelligent statement Of the business
| of the treasury department. and far
ciAl condition Of the state than does the
report for the biennial period ended June
30:h, 1884.
Another illustration Of useless printing
may be found In the report of the trus-
| tees Of state charitable institutions.
Ssventy-six of the ale pages Of that re-
port are occupied by tabular statements
sued, m9terials drawn and returned in
| ventOriss Of property, articles purchas-
ed, etc. These statements are all ''rule-
asd-hgure work." costing double or
treble price for composition. No
public interest Il subserved by their
printing, for they OnbOdy no infOrma-
ZION Of interest or value TO the people.
such statements might be submitted, in
| writing, for the consideration Of the
legislature, or fled with the state audi
tor, bat 1t seems to me that it iS useless,
not to say absurd, to include them, year
| after gear, In printed reports.
Similar accounts, inventories, etc., are
| published In the reports of the officers of
| the penitentiary, and I have directed
your attention, in other portions OF this
message, 70 like instances Of unneces-
sary printing.
The present oAoers are not Justly sub
jet 70 criticism for such publications as
these. The laws, either by specific di-
rection or by Implication, require the
| fullest detailed Information from them,
and the custom Of years, with the full
knowledge and assent OF the Legislature,
has sdded the weight Of its authority to
this practice. But 1t Is time to put Q stop
| TO this useless expense. Each year a.
| the departments and institutions Of the
state multiply and grow, the reports OF
| their condition, leeds, ETC., increase In
number, and the tendency TO include in
| them matter Of no public value or inter-
est, Is constant. The legislature should,
therefore, make thorough investigation
of this whole subject, and give specific
directions touching It, TO the end that all
unimpOrtant matter may be eliminated
from published reports, and that du-
plioation Of statistics and facts may be
avoided. An enormous reduction in the
annual printing bill of the state can thus
be elected.
In this connection, it seems proper,
| also, TO call your attention to an abuse
that has grown up, during recent years,
in the legislature, and which results in q
large and unnecessary expense. Very
many of the bills submitted in one house
are introduced, in duplicate, In
| the other, and are ordered
printed by esch, thus mourning double
| expense. Many reports, too, are printed,
IN full, in the journals of both houses
| The biennial messages Of the governor
to the legislature are printed 10 the Jour-
nails Of both houses, as were, also, the
| accompanying reports transmitted to the
| legislature during the special session
held last year. II q rule rs adopted for
| bidding the printing Of bills in dupn.
| cate, and II Joint committee on printing
| should be given authority to determine IN
| which journal messages or reports should
| be transcribed and published, q material
reduction Of expense could be Effected.
THE PRoHIBITIoN Law.
| Three general elections have been held
in Kansas, since the adoption Of the pro-
hibiEion amendment to the constitution
| At each OF these elections the people
have re-afnfmed their decision against
the manufacture or sale of intoxicating
liquors as beverage, by electinE legisla-
lures pledged TO the support of the
amendment. At the election in Novem-
Der last this was paramount issue, and
again by an emphatic majority, the SOW
ereign verdict Of the people was pro-
nounced against the saloon. No fair
| minded citizen can, no interpreting
citizen will, refuse to respect this judy
ment.
It is your duty, gentlemen Of the leg
| islatuFe, to see that laws are enacted
which will give practical effect to the
decision OF the people on this question.
l stated, In my message year ago, that
| while the law of 1885 embodied some
defects, Its general results had been very
favorable. have seen no occasion to
reverse this judgment. A great reform
has certainly been accomplished In KAs-
sas. Intemperance IL steadily and surely
decreasing. In thousands of homes
where want and wretchednesa and suffer-
ing were once familiar guests, plenty,
abide. Thousands Of wives and children
are better clothed and fed than they
we're when the saloons absorbed all the
earnings Of husbands and fathers. The
marvellous material growth Of the state
during the past six years has been
accompanied by an equally marvellous
moral progress, and it can be fairly and
0e6OIICu bAAI Al AO ROEtIOA Vi
the civilized world Can . million and q
half of people be found who are more
temperate than are the people Of Kansas.
NECESSARY AMENDMENTS.
The prohibirory Law, however, emb bodies
some defects, and should be amended.
First. The authority it vests in probate
judges is arbitrary, and may be, as In
some cases Is has been, abused. II a
probate judge grants druggists' permit
TO q person of bad character, any citizen
should have right to appeal from the
judges decision TO the district court, and
show that such permit should be revoked.
And, on the other hand, il a probate
Judge refuses permit to a druggist Of
good character, the druggist should have
right to appeal, in his own behalf, to
the district court, and show, IL he can,
that he has been unjustly Disseminated
gainss.
Second, Instead Of the statements now
filed, In purchasing liquors for medical,
mechanical or scientific purposes, an sf1 :
daVit should be required, and the drug
Rists should be authorized to administer
RovaPa 10nRlfiaa ah0nld hA inn